Reloaderz NJ aims to change your perception of a gun range

Cheryl Nylen, President of Reloaderz shows her target that she just shot at in the facility's state of the art gun range in Wayne, NJ on December 19, 2018. (Photo: Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network)

WAYNE — A gun range might not be the first place that comes to mind when one thinks of love and romance, but don't tell that to Davidah and Greg Yip.

Date night brought the local couple to Reloaderz NJ, a new indoor range on Route 23, for target practice with a 9mm handgun.

It was not just any date — the Yips were celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary.

"We've never fired a gun before and wanted to try it," said Greg Yip, 33, as his wife, 31, explained that she hoped their visit to the range would help her "get over a fear of guns."

Cheryl Nylen, 58, president of Reloaderz, said the range has been entertaining all types of customers, from novices to experts, since its "soft opening" early this month. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 12.

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Cheryl Nylen, President of Reloaderz shows her target that she just shot at in the facility's state of the art gun range in Wayne, NJ on December 19, 2018. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network

Greg and Davidah Yip, of Wayne spend their anniversary at the gun range under the instruction of Greg Mazaloom of Reloaderz in Wayne,NJ on December 19, 2018. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network

Cheryl Nylen, President of Reloaderz in front of a wall that has a selection of guns in the facility's state of the art gun range in Wayne, NJ on December 19, 2018. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network

The range's COO, Michael Nylen and his mother, Cheryl Nylen, President of Reloaderz as they prepare to target shoot in the facilities state of the art gun range in Wayne, NJ on December 19, 2018. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network

Greg and Davidah Yip, of Wayne spend their anniversary at the gun range under the instruction of Greg Mazaloom of Reloaderz in Wayne,NJ on December 19, 2018. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network

Davidah and Greg Yip, of Wayne spend their anniversary at the gun range under the instruction of Greg Mazaloom of Reloaderz in Wayne,NJ on December 19, 2018. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network

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"The uniqueness of our range is that we market to Millennials, women, gun enthusiasts, beginners — all walks of life, from A to Z," said Nylen, a 1976 graduate of DePaul Catholic High School, who lives in Kinnelon.

"We want to provide an experience, so that people come away, and say, 'Wow — now, that's a gun range'," she added.

The 13,814-square-foot range, at 1813 Route 23 south, was home to Fuddruckers bar and restaurant until 2014. Epic America, a diner and sports lounge, briefly occupied the building after that.

The range also will provide classroom training — to be called Reloaderz University — and one-on-one instruction in proper use of handguns, rifles and shotguns by safety officers, certified by the National Rifle Association.

The range offers monthly and four tiers of annual memberships, and 30- and 60-minute rentals of shooting lanes for $20 and $30. There is an additional cost to rent firearms.

Matthew de la Osa, a local gun collector, said he was impressed by professionalism of Reloaderz staff and cleanliness of the range. He spent $2,499 on a VIP membership.

"I enjoy the sport," said de la Osa, 25, a mechanic who owns seven guns. "I think I've missed one day since this place opened."

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Upon entering the range, customers first will see glass display cases containing various artillery for sale. Dozens of gun racks, illuminated by all-white TV monitors, are stacked on the wall behind the concierge desk. A gift shop sells gun accessories and Reloaderz merchandise, such as coffee mugs and T-shirts.

Before customers are allowed to shoot at the range, they must watch an eight-minute safety video, sign a waiver and pay a $10 instructional fee.

Customers must be 21 years old to rent firearms, and they must have photo IDs, as well as firearms IDs or adult shooting partners. The minimum age to use the range is 9, and children must be with their parents; they cannot shoot with handguns before turning 13.

Safety and security are of utmost importance to Reloaderz staff, said Nylen, who also owns a kickboxing studio in Clifton.

Nylen said the range is very secure, describing it as a "fortress."

There are no exterior windows, except for a limited number in the VIP suite. The area containing the shooting lanes is a "building within a building," Nylen said. Its walls are made of cinder blocks, filled with concrete, and layers of noise-attenuating insulation.

Large interior windows looking into the shooting gallery are blister-proof.

Fifty-eight security cameras are mounted to ceilings and walls, and surveillance footage is monitored 24/7.

Entrances to the range are equipped with roll-down security doors, similar to what merchants in large cities might use to protect storefronts from overnight intruders.

“The uniqueness of our range is that we market to Millennials, women, gun enthusiasts, beginners — all walks of life, from A to Z.”

Cheryl Nylen, president of Reloaderz NJ

One safety feature that Nylen noted as rare is a sink for customers to use with D-Lead soap, which washes away metal dust that customers might pick up by handling bullets.

Nylen, who invested her life savings to open the range with her family, said she is confident it will prosper and that she hopes it will dispel misconceptions about guns.

"People are going to feel the way they're going to feel about laws and safety," she said, but "we set out to open our range for educational purposes, to safely teach people how to use a gun."